696 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



during- our entire trip and we duly commended our guides, accordingly, 

 much to their gratiiicatiou. I was much surprised when, next morning, 

 on visiting the well, or spring, situated immediately adjoining one of 

 the image ])latforms, 1 found it nothing more than a shallow excavation 

 among the loose stones, and covered in order to keep the cattle and 

 sheep from drinking the precious fluid, of which there was but a few 

 inches in depth remaining. The water was surface water only, and had 

 percolated between the rocks, into the cavity, after rains. The knowl- 

 edge that these image platforms, have, from time immemorial even 

 unto the j)resent day, been utilized as burial places by the natives, did 

 not enhance our enjoyment of the liquid. 



The men slept in a comfortable cave that night, and for our own 

 accommodation an overhanging shelf of rock was economized. This was 

 too narrow to entirely shelter the party, and the deficiency of rock 

 was, therefore, supplemented with blankets, banana leaves, etc., laid 

 upon cords stretched in various directions. The scheme i^roved a 

 delusion, for the post-midnight showers descended as usual, the banana 

 leaves formed admirable conduits to lead the water where it did the most 

 harm, and the customary hasty vacating of the den in the night was 

 the inevitable result. These successive nocturnal experiences served to 

 impress on our minds the absurdity of leaving the ship unprovided 

 with a suitable tent, or at least an old sail with which necessary shelter 

 could be improvised. 



We struck camp and got away early, sending the camp builders with 

 the pack animals overland to the south side of the island, where at a 

 certain place, as the natives informed us, a tine, roomy cave and good 

 water would be found, and which was decided upon as our next camp. 



Our own course continued along the north coast around Cape Poko- 

 koria, along the east shore to Cape Anaataavanui, and thence in a 

 westerly direction along the south coast to camp, near Hanga Nui Bay 

 and Point Onetea. 



During the early part of the day the ground was of the same rugged 

 nature as that already passed over, but on reaching the base of Mount 

 Pua-ko-taki, at the eastern end of the island, the character of the sur- 

 face changed, being covered with hummock grass, alternating with 

 extensive tracts of fine, red volcanic sand, and dust, more particu- 

 larly on the northern and eastern slopes of the mountain. It was 

 asserted that in this red sand most of the stone axes and other imple- 

 ments were to be found, particularly after strong gales, when they 

 were uncovered by the wind, and careful search was made accordingly, 

 but with indifferent success. After luncheon, partaken of on toj) of 

 the mountain, the descent, which was gradual, as was also the ascent, 

 was made on the eastern side, the ground being of the same sandy 

 nature. Diligent search was again made while traversing this, and a 

 few specimens of stone implements, in large part mutilated, were 

 obtained. 



